Saturday, February 19, 2011

Nerd Love

I am an old school nerd. Not an OG, of course, but I remember back before computers pretty well. Nerds are/were defined by their love of pens(and D&D, but that's for another time). The most obvious of us out there were willing to wear pocket protectors and thus suffered the scorn of the masses. What most people didn't understand is that those brave souls were wearing pocket protectors to protect the PENS, not the shirt.

I love pens. I love looking at them. I love holding them in my hand and twirling them a bit to feel their balance. I love that first time picking up the pen and writing, when you discover the flow of the ink on the paper. When the ink glides smoothly across the page, all is right with the world. I will sit there with my pen and just write or doodle(does anyone else 'doodle' by writing the names of all the Presidents in chronological order, or is that just me?) and listen to the pleasant sound of the pen as it writes. This is how Nerds enter the profound meditative state so aptly labeled 'Nerdvana' by Dogbert from the Dilbert comics.

I don't buy cheap pens where the ink flow is an iffy proposition. I buy the gel ink pens with the rollerball tips. Not a major expense. That would be excessively frivolous in these economic times. Just enough of an expense so that I feel a little decadent using the pen, but no completely hysterical if I lose the pen. I have a small phobia that I'll fall in love with a pen and it will be discontinued, so I will buy that pen in bulk. My purse weighs 50 pounds because of all the pens I've crammed into every possible place. You never know when you might run out of ink and need a new pen!

I go to a lot of meetings in my chosen field, and at the conclusion of these meetings, when all parties have reached consensus, we sign our name to a piece of paper to indicate that agreement. Inevitably, someone at the table will 'borrow' my pen to sign their name. They will admire my pen...and then they will try to walk off with MY pen. This is a serious offense in my book, because my pens are the Precious to me. Every. Last. One. I have followed people out of the meeting room because they've walked off with my pen, and have even chased offenders out to their car to retrieve my pen with the single-minded focus of Gollum.

I know this love of pens seems a bit off to other people. I don't care. Pens are deserving of adoration in my opinion. The pen made it possible for EVERYONE to write whenever they wanted, wherever they wanted, however they wanted(that last part still gives English teachers fits). It was no longer necessary for a person to memorize everything. If you could think it, you could write it down. If someone else said it, you could write it down. Isn't that great? (All my fellow Nerds out there are now glassy-eyed, some drooling, thinking fondly of their pen collections. Now would be a good time to check their pockets for chocolate, if you are so inclined.)

Pens are awesome. You should have some. Really.

10 comments:

  1. There really is something about having a great pen and a purpose to use it. I am with you on this one! I just stumbled over to your blog and glad I did. I am from Texas and went to college in San Antonio. Its also where I met my husband. Miss it like crazy :)
    http://texagermanadian.blogspot.com/

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  2. Love the blog!!

    I'm following from the weekend blog hop! I would LOVE if you would follow me!

    www.theunglamorousmommy.com

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  3. Pens have that power that the keyboard just does not. You can always cut and delete with a keyboard. A pen is permanent (and scratching out with a pen so - ugh!) When I was in law school, I used to buy the fountain pens that had the little plastic ink cartridges -not the expensive ones but fountain based nonetheless. I used to write exclusively with those. Those days have long passed but you brought them back with a smile. Thanks.

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  4. Following from the weekend blog hop. I too was a big ole nerd in school. Hope you'll follow back - http://thekidcancook.blogspot.com

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  5. I write with colored/glittered gel pens. I say they bring life to my words and the paper. I love my gel pens!

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  6. LOL I have plenty of pens. The gel pens to be exact. The ones my mother wonders why I have to have. I have some in my purse, some on the kitchen table, some on my computer desk. I don't use them all that often really but I HAVE to have them. Obsessive Compulsive? Yes indeedy do. Don't move my pens or else. You don't want to know what else means..trust me.

    I'm following you back. I also answered your question on my blog but I'll answer it here too in case you don't get back there to check..I do play LOTRO. Not as much as I would like to lately. On Gladden. Do you play?

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  7. Oh my gosh, I have a love of pens too. And paper! When I worked as a librarian, I special ordered Pilot fine tip pens in green for myself. They were my *thing*, you know? And one by one, they'd all disappear from my desk--when you work at a library, people tend to think office supplies are community property, I guess. So I completely identify with your protectiveness over your pens. :)

    I'm a new follower from the Saturday Stalk blog hop. My blog is at www.thetypeahousewife.com--I'd love it if you'd stop by!

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  8. Ah yes, the pen IS mightier. And gel pens totally rock! My biggest peeve? Pens whose ink takes too long to dry and smudges, or the pens that leave big globs of ink as you write.

    Following you now via Say Hi Sunday! Great blog!

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  9. hi there- Let's start a fan page for all writing utensils! Following you on the Sunday Social blog hop! Would love a follow back. Great posts! I'll be back...
    laura

    http://imnotatrophywife.com

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  10. HI! New follower here! I found you through "say hi sunday".
    You should see our drawer of pens in this house! I don't know how we end up with these!
    Look forward to reading more :)

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I welcome comments, but reserve the right to correct your spelling because I am OCD about it!